Lubricant metering system



Jan. 311,

D. M. LAWRENCE ,495,976

LUBRICANT METERING SYSTEM m Filed 001;. 23, 1944 v I I I, T 17 ze i ii i: I, 1| 'l I I INVENTOR. oimld MLaa/re/zce BY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 31, 1950 ilNl'lED STATES PATENT QFFICE LUBRICANT METERING SYSTEM Application October- 23, 1944, Serial No. 559,872

My invention relates to lubrication and more particularly to a device and system for metering lubricant to bearings and the like.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for metering lubricant which is so constructed and arranged as to insure the metering of lubricant to a bearing at a substantially constant pressure.

Another object of my invention is to provide a. device of the foregoing described character which is equipped with means for maintaining the device in an opened condition against clogging to effect a free flow of the lubricant.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the foregoing described character j equipped with replaceable means whereby to permit the amount of lubricant metered to be changed and/or the use of a lubricant of a dinerent viscosity.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lubricating system equipped with means to preclude syphoning of the lubricant from the system when the latter is not in operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a system of the foregoing described character which is simple in construction, durable in use, efiicient in operation and economical in manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic sectional view of my invention.

As illustrated in the drawing, a portion of a housing is is provided with a pair of spaced out- Wardly disposed distributin chambers H and I2, respectively, and a receiving chamber it between the chambers ll and i2. The chamber I2 is provided with a removable threaded plug It. The chambers ll, 52 and I3 communicate with each other through a bore or metering orifice 15 conta ning a replaceable metering pin or shaft H5.

The inner end ll of the metering pin terminates within the chamber l2 and is provided with a tool receiving opening 9 while the opposite end extends outwardl through the housing and is detachably connected by a coupling 8 to a drive shaft It which serves to effect rotation of the metering pin therewith. The diameter of the bore 5 between the chambers ll, 12 and I3, is

1 Claim. (Cl. 1847) 2 the diameter of the portions of the metering pin extending tberethrough.

The receiving-chamber l3 communicates with a channel 22 formed in the housing, said channel being connected, by means of a supply pipe 23 to a source of lubricant supply 24 under pressure. The pipe 23 is provided with a fitting to which is connected a lubricant pressure gauge 25. The plug it is provided with a central bore in which is connected a lubricant supply pipe 26 for distr'buting lubricant from the chamber I2.

The chamber ll communicates with a channel 21 formed in the housing and to which is connected a lubricant supply pipe 28. The lubricant supply pipes 26 and 28 are connected to lubricant feed pipes 29 and 30 through the medium of check valves 3! and 32 respectively. The lubricant iced pipes 29 and 3c are connected to bearings 33 and 34 respectively whereby lubricant is supplied to said bearings in metered quantities as hereinafter more fully described. Beneath the outer or left end of the metering pin Is, there is provided a sump 35 whereby any lubricant which might leak outwardly about the metering pin discharges into the sump and is returned to the source through a conduit 36.

In operation, a lubricant such as oil, is introduced under pressure into the chamber !3 from the source 24 through the supply pipe 23, the pressure being normally sufficient to effect introduction of the oil into the chambers I2 and II through the passages 20 and 2|, respectively, the rotation of the pin it within the passages serving to preclude clogging of the passages by foreign matter or the like. From the chambers l2 and l l, the lubricant is introduced into the feed pipes 29 and 36 through the supply pipes 26 and 28 and the check valves 3! and 32. From the feed pipes 29 and 38 the lubricant is introduced into the bearings 33 and 34, the check valves 3| and 32 being responsive to the pressure of the lubricant to permit introduction. When the system is not in operation the check valves operate to prevent drainage or syphoning of the oil out of the system through the supply pipes. By removing the plug i l, the pin it may be replaced by another having portions, extending through the passages 20 and El, of difierent diameter, thereby permitting the amount of oil metered to the hearings to be changed and/or the use of an oil of a different viscosity.

During normal operation, lubricant from the chamber l3 will be metered to the bearings 33 and 34 under a pressure less than the pressure in the chamber It. If for any reason, discharge of the lubricant to the bearings is retarded or prevented, for instance, by clogging or the like, sufiicient pressure will be built up in the supply lines to overcome the undesirable condition.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain the invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for useundervarious conditions. of service. Moreover;it is'not indispensable that allthefeatures of the invention be used conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefor as it may be utilized for any purpose to which itis-adaptableh It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction as illustrated and described as the same is onlyillustrative of the principles of operation, which are: capable of extended application in various forms, ans thatthei ve i n omprehe ds alL onsi uotion within the scope of'the appended clairn What s a med s:

In a ystem. fo meterin ubricant to bearin m a s. he. combination. f. he k, va v means iqilsineg niz udin abore. havin in er e her a ms the; rd r nam d, an. end' Journal. pe s ns; a rst: d str ut on, ham er; a m t ring. s imt. a e eiv n Q a n. e dme e ne se t-ion and: an o s end d rib on. hamber; a metering pin in the bore coaxially therewith pioyiding a mei ringg rifice, ab u he: pin ineafi o a idf met rin s t o s: and ex ending. n er. t said: seriesom. audi s ond; t ring; sectio to a; position. beyond said; journal opening; for 3 operation with' means adaptedv to impart definite rotation to the pin, about its'axis; duringthemeter- 4. ing of the lubricant through said orifices, a source of lubricant supply, a sump communicating with said source adapted toreceive leakage lubricant from said journaliopening,,conduit means adapted 5 to conduct lubricant under pressure from said source to said receiving chamber, and means including pipe-line means providing for passage of the lubricant from said distribution chambers to the bearing means through the check valve means.

DONALD M. LAWRENCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fil'eofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,257,258 Lemps ,,-r Feb. 19.; 1918 13497503, Grenterp June-10, I924 1,632,751 Bijur; V V June 14-, 1927 1,764,467 Bortis June17, 1930 l ,862;48 8;- Bi-jur; V.June 7-, 1932 1,862,513 Bijur June 7-, 1932 1;943;O1 4' Gleason 1 Jan. 9; 1934 2;009,430:- July30, 1935 2g22,9,-'65.5- ,Jan.. 28, 1944 2,353,734; Kosher; l v July 18; 1-944 EQREIGN BATENTS 0 Number Country Date 579,489 Germany June 29; 1933 

